1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device and method of manufacture of the device for unitizing a plurality of containers, the carrier having a retainer sheet for engaging a top portion of the containers integrated with a film sleeve for surrounding the containers.
2. Description of Prior Art
Conventional container carriers are often used to unitize a plurality of similarly sized containers, such as cans, bottles, jars and boxes, although other packages or containers may be unitized. Plastic ring carriers and box carriers are two such conventional container carriers.
The plastic ring carrier produces a unitized package for containers using little material. However, the plastic ring carrier, when used alone in most instances, has little or no advertising or promotional printing space. Conversely, the box carrier generally has a relatively large amount of area for promotional graphics. Disadvantageously, the box carrier requires a relatively large amount of material, may permit containers to fall out if it is not maintained in an upright position, and usually shrouds most or all of the actual containers. Therefore, there is a need for a package that incorporates the stability and economy of a ring carrier and the promotional area of a box carrier.
It is one object of this invention to provide a container carrier that unitizes a plurality of containers into a tight, solid package.
It is another object of this invention to provide a container carrier that provides a prominent billboard space for merchandising information.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a container carrier which restricts lateral and vertical movement of the containers with respect to one another.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a container carrier that incorporates the stability and economy of a ring carrier and the promotional area of a box carrier.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a container carrier that utilizes a film sleeve to maintain a tight configuration of unitized containers.
A carrier according to this invention carries a plurality of containers such as cans or bottles. The carrier unitizes a plurality of containers to create a package. The carrier is a single-piece device comprising a retainer sheet integrated with a film sleeve, each preferably constructed from a flexible, resilient material such as plastic. The retainer sheet preferably has a first thickness different from and thicker than a second thickness of the film sleeve.
The retainer sheet is formed with a plurality of container receiving openings the number of which depends upon the intended size of the package. The retainer sheet is integrated with the film sleeve preferably along longitudinal sides of the retainer sheet.
The film sleeve may be designed to create a package open at a bottom of the package or along a lower edge of the carrier. The film sleeve may further include a bottom along a portion of the lower edge of the film sleeve. Each side edge of the film sleeve is preferably bound with a seal. The carrier when formed is preferably generally symmetrical around fold lines of the carrier.
Containers are inserted within the carrier so that the containers are surrounded by between five and six sides of the package. Each container receiving opening in the retainer sheet preferably engages a container around an upper portion of the container. The rigidity and elasticity of the retainer sheet thereby supports each container.
The film sleeve is positioned around the plurality of containers, preferably in a stretching engagement with the containers. The film sleeve is preferably printed with graphics, promotional and/or other information related to contents and/or ingredients of package. Therefore, the film sleeve serves both to unitize the plurality of containers and to advertise the nature of the contents of the containers.
The carrier is preferably manufactured according to one of several preferred methods wherein a generally continuous length of carriers is formed. In summary, a film substrate and/or film sleeve material is printed with desired graphics and other merchandising information. A retainer sheet material is next joined to the film substrate and/or film sleeve material by heat sealing, extrusion coating, laminating, profile extrusion or glueing the retainer sheet material to the film substrate and/or film sleeve material. The joined retainer sheet material and film substrate and/or film sleeve material are next either folded along a fold line to create a symmetrical double layer or laminated to an identical section of joined retainer sheet material and film substrate and/or film sleeve material thereby creating a carrier blank. Seams are next added by heat sealing or laminating the symmetrical double layer of retainer sheet material and film substrate and/or film sleeve material together. Finally, the carrier is formed by die cutting the double layer of retainer sheet material and film substrate to create container receiving openings and to define a film sleeve and a retainer sheet.